There are special areas on the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests, returned to wildness and providing solitude from the crowds of more popular tourist areas. These are some of the jewels I have loved and visited during my 41 years as a resident of Swannanoa and Western North Carolina.
Two examples are Mackey Mountain on the Pisgah near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Tusquitee Bald in the west on the Nantahala. A rule protecting these areas from road building and logging was adopted in 2001 by the USDA Forest Service with broad support. The idea of protecting these areas was beloved from the start with 1.9 million people supporting its creation in 1999.
Known as the Roadless Rule, all that it protects is in jeopardy now that the U.S Agriculture Department has announced that it intends to revoke the Rule. This means that nearly 58 million acres of of undeveloped backcountry forestland managed by the U.S. Forest Service, comprising around a third of the territory in our national forest system.
That includes 176,000 acres in North Carolina alone, from the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests in the mountains, to the Uwharrie National Forest in the Piedmont and the Croatan National Forest on our coast. That land is crucial for wildlife habitat, flood protection, clean drinking water sources, and old growth forests, as well as holding recreational areas beloved by millions.
What’s the real reason for this proposed rollback? It’s to re-open these forests to logging and other industrial development, something we at the NC Sierra Club have long opposed. Coupled with other administration actions that call for dramatic increases in logging and drilling on federal lands, these activities would worsen climate change, destroy recreation areas, destroy wildlife habitat, and threaten drinking water sources. I have been involved in the planning process for the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests for over a decade now, and while the current Forest Plan falls short of protecting many of these areas, this end run around the will of the people from top down in Washington is breath taking.
With a U.S. Forest Service maintenance backlog that’s ballooned into billions of dollars for the 380,000 miles of existing roads in national forests, double the miles in the nation’s highway system. Who’s going to pay for not just repairs, but construction of new roads? Taxpayers like you and me.
And with the USFS workforce being dismantled, who’s going to safeguard our national forests as this work is being is done? Safe to say it will be a disaster of soil erosion, degraded water quality, and loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species. Invasive species are known to thrive along road disturbances. All this without the personnel or financial resources to monitor impacts and implement any measure of environmental mitigation.
Most of these areas are open to all forms of recreation activities on our National Forests. Roadless Areas are immensely popular for hikers, anglers, hunters, and many other outdoor enthusiasts. They include large sections of major trails, such as the Appalachian National Trail. Bringing it closer to home, the Pisgah and Nantahala contain approximately 31 distinct named areas that have been designated as Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) under the 2001 Rule.
While some are smaller areas, they are important as adjacent lands to existing wilderness areas. Some are outstanding on their own; places on the Nantahala like Tusquitee Bald, Wesser Bald and Cheoah Bald. The Appalachian Trail traverses the latter two. On the Pisgah there are Laurel Mountain and South Mills River, immensely popular for recreation.
Last Wednesday the USDA opened a public comment period which ends Sept. 19. Let your voice be heard at sc.org/roadlessrule. Also, legislation has been introduced which would put Roadless Area protection in law. Call your Representative and both Senators and ask them to oppose and condemn this latest attack on public lands and to co-sponsor the “Roadless Area Conservation Act.“
Public outcry stopped the proposed sell off of public lands the big budget bill this past summer. It will be the only solution to protecting these jewels of our National Forest System.
David Reid is a 41-year resident of Swannanoa, and longtime activist with the NC Chapter of the Sierra Club. . He participated in and represented the Sierra Club in the revision process for the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forest Plan. He serves as National Forest Issues Chair for the NC Sierra Club and also leads outings.
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